Peeking Out from the Underworld
After a truly chaotic summer, I’m still finding myself at loss for words. It’s felt like an underworld experience (again)— as the chaos has continued to build (and it is indeed still building here), I’ve found myself turning in towards myself in necessary ways.
I spent a week at an outdoors, queer + trans, covid-conscious (bless) silent meditation retreat at the beginning of September. Having witnessed a double homicide— of my neighbor (and friend) and also a child— with my own eyes just a little over a month ago— sitting (and walking) in silence was both an extreme challenge and an enormous gift. I am not who I used to be; life (and trauma) has changed me yet again and if I’m honest, I’ve been feeling really resentful about that. Pair that with an abusive and predatory landlord and well, we’ve got a real mess.
I came back feeling more centered in myself, more present, more willing to accept the reality of this moment and the change that is unavoidable, and more able to meet the challenges ahead. And I came back with a re-commitment to my practice, reminded of the incredible gift of continuous practice— how so much is possible and available inside our own bodies when we turn down some of the noise and trust and believe what we contain.
I’m also simultaneously feeling out what’s ahead in this space. Thanks to everyone who took the time to vote and share about interest in a new offering here— I’m planning on launching a new monthly series for paid subscribers in October. It will be simple— a recorded breath meditation, in which I will also read a poem at the end, and a writing prompt to help you percolate and generate. Having facilitated many writing + breathwork workshop series and one-offs over the years, engaging in meditation really helps clear the way for creative brilliance to come through. My current plan is to launch this for October 11th and then I will share a new one the second Friday of each month. Paid subscriptions are just $5 a month and I hope this will feel accessible for folks who want a monthly generative practice.
I also do hope to continue to write and share here— I’ve been writing through this hard summer but I don’t feel ready to share it. I’m holding it close still. But I do know writing is a way through and I will find my way back.
In the meantime— if you’re finding yourself on a precipice, especially as summer turns to fall in the northern hemisphere— and if being with your breath and the stars and some writing prompts might feel good, do join astrologer Rose Blakelock and I for our virtual, sliding scale workshop next week:
CONSPIRATORS: a breathwork + astrology workshop for the eclipse + equinox season
conspire: to breathe together
conspirators: those who agree, unite, & plot together
Jennifer Patterson (a Libra with a Libra stellium heyyyy) and Rose Blakelock invite you to join them for CONSPIRATORS. This sliding scale, virtual workshop intends to provide a container in which to breathe and write into/out of the stars. Rose will help ground us into the astrology of the moment. Jennifer will then guide us in an enlivening, active breathwork meditation practice, and we’ll spend some time writing and reflecting on what we find together.
September 24th finds us in the early days of Libra season, just beyond the Equinox, and at the midpoint between two eclipses. Libra is a cardinal air sign concerned with justice and equity, with finding ways to meet one another and join our resources and skills so that we may make it through the long nights to come.
In the north, Libra season ushers in seasons of night. Ripening and harvest give over to death and decay. Growth surrenders to contraction; individuation to collaboration; flower goes to seed. The signs that follow on the zodiacal wheel become increasingly concerned with building community and collective power.
What does it mean to conspire? To breathe together? And what might this simple act set in motion?
The workshop is 2 hours (5pm-7pm MDT) and $50-20$ sliding scale. If you cannot attend live, a recording* of the astrological overview and breathwork practice will be shared via email the day after the event.
*Live participant sharing will not be recorded.